Or Plastic ’ : How We Pay Influences Post - Transaction Connection

Can the way that individuals pay for a good or service influence the amount of connection they feel after the purchase has occurred? Across three studies employing a multimethod approach, we find that individuals who pay using a relatively more painful form of payment (e.g., cash or check) increase their post-transaction connection in comparison to those who pay by less painful forms of payment (e.g., debit or credit card). More specifically, individuals who pay using more painful forms of payment value and increase their emotional attachment to a product, decrease their commitment to non-chosen alternatives, are more likely to publicly signal their commitment, and increase their loyalty and likelihood to make a repeat transaction in comparison to those who pay by less painful forms of payment. Moreover, the psychological pain of payment influences post-transaction connection even when the objective monetary cost remains constant and when the psychological cost is indirectly experienced (i.e., donating someone else’s money). Overall, paying with more painful forms of payment may have beneficial consequences with respect to increasing downstream product and brand connection.